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Well, I don't believe in success, frankly, nor in failure, nor in hard work. That is a rather American way of thinking. I just live, I only work as much as necessary to pay my bills, and I have zero ambition in terms of work or wealth. But it is enough for me, it is my life, so I don't live by overachievers' standards. I never judge people by their job titles or income, those are irrelevant things to me.
Good. I'm tired of the capitalist values personally; Which seek to turn humans into domesticated livestock, or really, slaves, toiling for the benefit of the state.
I was merely trying to point out the differences in environments and cultures which produce differences of outcomes.
I'm 34-years old. I've never in my life made more than $11,000 in a single year. At my last job, the people I worked with named me the least ambitious man they had ever met in their lives.
I have become so unambitious, that all I ever dream about anymore is being a hobo/homeless. I'm hoping that by pushing myself to such a level, that it will completely destroy any sense of pride I have left. And finally leave me "free" from the guilt that has ruled me nearly my entire life.
Yes, sooner or later in life many people realize that the priorities that determine their lives are not their own. I had my father as a negative example, i.e. I have studied him and try to avoid all the mistakes he made. One was wasting his life on a company that didn't treat him well and simply fired him when the boss sold the company off to foreigners. My father didn't spend much time at home, his job stole his energy and ruined his health. And basically all for nothing...
$11k is indeed little, how can you even survive on that in the US?! I earn just below €10k a year, this way I don't have to charge and pay VAT on my work. Here we have a different health and social security system, so my income is enough for me. But I guess in the US I would be worried about retirement later on...
Yes, sooner or later in life many people realize that the priorities that determine their lives are not their own. I had my father as a negative example, i.e. I have studied him and try to avoid all the mistakes he made. One was wasting his life on a company that didn't treat him well and simply fired him when the boss sold the company off to foreigners. My father didn't spend much time at home, his job stole his energy and ruined his health. And basically all for nothing...
$11k is indeed little, how can you even survive on that in the US?! I earn just below €10k a year, this way I don't have to charge and pay VAT on my work. Here we have a different health and social security system, so my income is enough for me. But I guess in the US I would be worried about retirement later on...
Well, I either lived with family or friends until I was 30. I didn't really own a car until about the same time.
Though somewhat ironically I got my license right after my 16th birthday, and I've had multiple jobs where I drove for a living. But I never actually owned a vehicle myself(I drove their vehicles).
Then, my mother passed away, and with my relatively small portion of her life-insurance, I bought a house through HUD for $8,000. And I'm just incredibly cheap in general. Plus, I always have someone living with me. Because I'm such a pleasant fellow.
Anyway, my goal is always to spend as little as possible. Its one of the reasons I whine all the time about property taxes and car insurance. When you are trying to minimize your expenses as much as possible, car insurance really screws you.
When I drove a crew van for BNSF, I drove about 20 miles a week on average. It was three miles from my house, and I only worked two, twelve-hour shifts a week. I lived with my sister and a friend of mine from middle-school, about half a mile from my mother's house. I primarily just went to work, went to the store here and there, and went to my mother's house. And today, I drive even less.
I know how to shop, I know how to cook(just made up a big batch of chili yesterday), I know how to save. If its just me, it costs me less than $250 a month for literally everything. And I still hate paying the ~$35 a month for car insurance and about ~$50 a month for property taxes.
Well, having one's own house helps, no rent to pay. But sooner or later things start to break and need to be repaired or replaced...
I don't have a car, either, luckily I don't even want to drive, because I could not afford one if I had to.
Anyway, back to the topic, why is there a black-white achievement gap in Britain in the first place? I mean, Britain is not the US, very different history regarding black people...
It's all about selective immigration. Africans can't normally emmigrate to the UK without special qualifications. The ones who do get in are much more accomplished than the typical African and likely have much higher IQs. So it isn't surprising that their kids do well in school.
Its nothing to do with IQs. The British Immigration system doesn't care about how intelligent you are, but how much money you have. Rich families or middle class families of African heritage can find many paths to citizenship. This doesn't mean that they are more intelligent than anyone else there, but meet the criteria none the less.
In addition, there are many other paths to citizenship that have no baring on education or finance - this can be through family and partnership.
The common denominator is conservative values generally and a general enjoyment of study - this is a constant regardless of class and status and specifically, intelligence.
But seriously, lets understand that there is no culture in Africa that can really be considered a "successful culture". So no, keeping a culture intact isn't the cause.
The actual truth is that the Black Africans in the UK are mostly the "Cream of the crop"(as many have said in this thread, they are the "brains of Africa" being drained to first-world countries). They aren't the norm, they are the exception.
And if you assume that the Chinese immigrants are also a result of brain-drain; Then the fact that the Chinese are significantly ahead of them isn't exactly an accomplishment.
With that said, the reason blacks are underachievers in America is almost entirely a cultural problem. Blacks really haven't been denied educational opportunities, or most other opportunities(not for about 150 years). The actual problem is that, blacks by-and-large haven't adopted the capitalist values necessary for success.
The average black parent doesn't instill the same desire to succeed in his children that say, the Asian parent does. If a black man is unemployed or in jail, he can go home to his family, and not really feel the utter embarrassment and shame that an Asian man would face under the same circumstances(I say the black man is actually luckier than the Asian man in this respect).
Basically, a black man can be a failure from the perspective of a white man, but he may not be seen as a failure by his peers.
The above is an embarrassment. Its marinated in ignorance and left overnight.
To claim to know about African cultures enough to make such a sweeping judgment on them, is stupendously foolish. Most native Africans wouldn't be able to tell you about the details of every African culture - yet you can. And have dismissed them from a position of - what? And further - what the hell is a 'successful culture'? What does that even mean?
And as I've already posted, no - African immigrants are not the cream of the crop - they come from a broad array of backgrounds and many work in very menial jobs as any British person would be able to tell you.
To then claim that a monolithic group, 'The Chinese' are one thing or another; again reeks of ignorance. China has extreme poverty, under-education and the opposite; extreme wealth and education. The simplistic approach to understanding population groups embarrasses your post for what it is; the ramblings of a fool.
Then, the black man doesn't instill the same values as an Asian does? What type of Asian? From which country? What type of black man? A middle class one? A poor one? What would be the motivation to have low expectations for one's child? No doubt, with your vast experience and knowledge, you'll tell me.
But save it, please. No, really.
The rest of your 'points' are not worth addressing to be frank. I actually think answering your post wasn't worth my time as at the moment, I'm busy scratching my ass.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Redshadowz
I will say this though, I'm a failure in every sense of the word.
The only thing I can agree with you on. Hopefully you keep future insights to evaluation of yourself rather than others. Its a skill you seem to be good at.
Its nothing to do with IQs. The British Immigration system doesn't care about how intelligent you are, but how much money you have. Rich families or middle class families of African heritage can find many paths to citizenship. This doesn't mean that they are more intelligent than anyone else there, but meet the criteria none the less.
Of course being rich, accomplished or resourceful in some way doesn't necessarily mean a person is more intelligent. But if you gave any group of people like this an IQ test you would find that, on average, they do score higher than the norm.
Well, having one's own house helps, no rent to pay. But sooner or later things start to break and need to be repaired or replaced...
I'm quite the handyman. In fact, I can basically do everything. And whatever I can't currently do, I'm an incredibly fast learner(and the internet is very useful to that end, as well as libraries).
Basically, whatever needs to be fixed, I can and do fix it. Whether it be houses, cars, computers, etc. In all honesty, if I didn't hate the government so much, and if I actually cared one iota about making money. I could easily bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars a year through a variety of channels in which I have extensive knowledge and experience. Some requiring no upfront capital, but others which would require a relatively small initial investment.
Every once in a while for like a week I'll be irritated, and feel an ambitious streak. But I can never keep it for any length of time. My problem is, I simply don't care. I find the world to be utter garbage. And I don't really want anything from it, at least nothing that money can buy. I've found the existence of money to be counterproductive to everything I actually want in life. To the extent that I ever do anything, or attempt to make any money, it is increasingly out of pure necessity.
I'm a rebellious child, but I still hold up respect as my #1 virtue(and always have).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Neuling
Anyway, back to the topic, why is there a black-white achievement gap in Britain in the first place? I mean, Britain is not the US, very different history regarding black people...
As for why blacks and whites have an achievement gap in Britain? Well, lets understand that, the primary "capitalist values", are respect for private-property rights, respect for authority, and a strong work ethic.
Blacks as a general rule, have less respect for private-property rights than whites, they have less respect for authority, and have less strong of a work ethic. And for the most part, this is probably cultural. Blacks prior to the last couple hundred years, lived in largely egalitarian tribal environments, there was really no such thing as private-property(the same goes for Native-Americans as well). Secondly, blacks until the last couple hundred years never lived in anything like a "state", they lived in tribes, where authority was more implied than absolute.
So while blacks were brought to the Western colonies as slaves. Slavery doesn't create capitalist values. Blacks never owned anything, and they didn't work for themselves(so they always did as little as possible). Even after they were freed, blacks by-and-large never owned any land. At best they were sharecroppers on someone else's land, and at worst they were merely laborers, working for someone else.
Most blacks live in cities, where they are completely dependent on the government and the market. People who live in cities tend to be more "leftist", or more "socialist". Which plays into their old tribal egalitarian cultures, but isn't a recipe for success in a capitalist economy.
Lets understand that, the easiest way to succeed in our world, is to "play by the rules". As a general rule, if you do everything you are told(IE, if you do everything the government tells you, and everything the capitalists tell you), and you put in the extra effort(you don't even have to be that intelligent); Then you'll be rewarded. Very few people who try to "buck" the system, will be financially successful.
Blacks(and I speak of averages here), for a variety of reasons, have little respect for authority. They have very little respect for "the system", or "capitalism", or really much of anything. They are therefore far more likely to be involved in criminal or quasi-criminal activities(IE selling drugs, theft, etc).
They also have a terrible work ethic, which I blame mostly on their lack of independence(IE owning their own land, or otherwise working for themselves).
If you really wanted blacks to be more successful, you have to devise a system which makes them have more respect for authority, more respect for private property, and a stronger work ethic. In my personal opinion, the best thing you could ever do, would be to increase their "independence". And especially, "get them working or otherwise doing something".
With all that said, I could really care less what black people, or any other people do. I'm hoping to buy a few acres and go off-the-grid, and then tell the government to shove it up their holes.
Last edited by Redshadowz; 06-06-2015 at 09:33 PM..
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